Labor Unions
Video “Norma Rae”
 Questions
 What are some of the hazards in the
textile mill?
 Why didn’t workers want the union?
 Why didn’t the company want the union?
 What were some conflicts that occurred?
History
 Labor unions came over to the U.S.
colonies in 1620
 Oldest form of unions were “guilds”
History
 Guilds made up of skilled craftsmen
 Carpenters, cobblers & barrel makers
 make sure members produced high
quality goods and were treated fairly
History
 By 1820’s labor unions managed to
get the 12 hour work day reduced to
10 hours
History
 Factory system grew during & after
Civil War
 Invention of steam engine
 Growing use of water power to
operate machinery
History
 Unions were formed
 Helps workers get organized
 Bargain for needs and rights
 To improve work conditions
 Bargaining power is greater when in a
group than individually
Labor Union Movement
 Federation
 Organization of groups
 National Labor Union
 Knights of Labor
 American Federation of Labor
Labor Union Movement
 National Labor Union
NLU
1866 -1872
Encouraged congress to pass 8 hour day
Wanted to bring together all national labor
unions
 Favored arbitration over strikes
 8 hour day was passed for government workers
but wages were also lowered
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Labor Union Movement
 Knights of Labor
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1869
Uriah Stephens & Terrance Powdery
Open to all workers
demanded
 an end to child labor
 Equal pay for women
 Cooperative employer-employee ownership
of mines and factories
Knights of Labor
 Believed in Strikes
 Union Pacific Railroad Strike 1884
 Victory
 Haymarket square riots 1886
 Members were accused of throwing bombs
that killed police officers
 Tarnished the Knights of Labor – not
involved
Labor Union Movement
 American Federation of Labor
 AFL
 1886
 Samuel Gompers – member of cigar
markers union
 300,000 members in 25 unions
 Organized only unions of skilled workers
American Federation of Labor
 stressed
 working conditions
 pay
 control over jobs
Labor Union Movement
 1800’s – 1900’s
 Many demonstrations, riots &
strikes
 Wanted better
 Wages
 Working conditions
 Federal government & local police
were often called in to arrest union
members
Riot Example
 Pullman Strike
 Eugene Debs
 Boycott/striking the buying of sleeping
cars
 Government hired replacement workers
Riot Example
 Triangle Shirt waist Company
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1911 New York City
Garment industry
150 employees died during a fire
Mostly women
Fire exits were locked to prevent theft
Department of Labor
 Government created the Department
of Labor
 1914
 Passed various laws to ensure rights of
union members
AFL & CIO
 CIO
 Committee/congress for Industrial
Organizations
 Union of unskilled workers
 AFL & CIO unite
 1955
 Made up 56 national & international
unions
AFL & CIO Legislation
 Equal pay for equal work -- 1963
 Age Discrimination act -- 1968
 Civil Rights Act – 1964
 Occupational Safety and Health Act -1970
AFL & CIO Legislation
 Humphrey – Hawkins Act -- 1978
Union Decline
 Reasons
 Employers keeping unions out
businesses
 New workers are less loyal to unions
 Products becoming more expensive
 Sales lost to foreign competitors
 Workers lose jobs
 Technology
Pros of Unions
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Better wages
Working conditions
Support for issues
Protected on your job
Legal council-free
Dues go for some good
Seniority protection
Don’t have to join
Cons of Unions
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No guarantee of better wages
Rule of majority
Can’t go to boss alone
Can’t get rid of bad people
Unfair use of legal council
Dues have to be paid-money lost
Super seniority for union officers
Fair share in Wisconsin